SUSTAINABILITY TIPS:
Autumn
Top Tip #1 – Growing Great Veggies: Healthy soil=Healthy Plants!
Your veggies will only be as good as the soil they grow in. Soil should be built up with premium compost, coarse river-sand for drainage and small doses of slow-release, broad spectrum organic fertiliser
Top Tip #2 – Growing Great Veggies: Go Seasonal!
Good quality nurseries should tell you what is best to grow at this time. Try Lettuce, Spinach, Carrots, Peas, Bok Choy and Chard
Top Tip #3 – Great Homes: The Great cover up!
Hang blinds, curtains, blankets or any fabric inside ALL your windows on cold days and winter nights to trap heat. 75% of heat loss in winter is through your unshielded windows
Top Tip #4 – Great Homes: Let there be light!
Draw back curtains and blinds on all east, north and west facing windows on sunny winter days - harness that precious winter sun to naturally warm your home
Top Tip #5 – Great Gardens: Get ready now for a long hot summer with a drought proof garden!
Plant up this winter with a range of 1 Drop (waterwise plants). Check out waterwise accredited nurseries for ideas and stock. Top tips include Eremophilas, Scaevolas, Verticordia, Melaleuca and small Eucalyptus
Top Tip #6 – Great Gardens: Use the water where it falls!
Direct the precious rain into your garden. Plant in shallow basins to 'harvest' water, use wetting agents to get the water into the soil, slow it down on slopes with rocks, branches, mulch...anything to interrupt its flow
Top Tip #7 – Great Gardens: Turn your sand into soil!
Perth's gutless sands can become truly productive if you mix in bentonite clay, zeolite and or spongelite PLUS organic matter such as compost. Do this and you can slash water use by over 50%!
Top Tip #8 – Great Gardens make Great Homes: Use trees to cool and shade your home!
Trees are a natural air-conditioner and will help screen and shade, plus block out those harsh easterly winds.
Summer
Top Tip #1 – Mulch, Mulch, Mulch!
If you haven't learnt it by now you have got to get out there, do the right thing and cover any bare soil and garden beds with a rough, coarse mulch to stop the soil drying out and your plants suffering. Mulch can slash your water loss by up to 70% and could be gravel if you are in a fire-risk area.
Top Tip #2 – Top up your wetting agents
Sad as it is even the best wetting agent will only last 2-3 months and so you may need to reapply now. Remember the 'finger test' - if the soil is not wet 2cm down half an hour after watering you have a water repellency problem.
Top Tip #3 – Feeling Blue, Go Green!
Nothing beats getting out under cooling natural plants when the heat is getting you down. Find a shady spot under an iconic aussie tree or sit out in the garden in the evenings. Visit www.actbelongcommit.org.au for more information about mentally healthy communities
Top Tip #4 – Shade shade shade!
Remember if the sun hits a surface or wall at this time of the year it is going to heat up so break that insidious cycle. Shade cloth, scatter rugs, shade sails -anything will do and they will all help to keep you and your home cooler.
Top Tip #5 – Water early or water late
There is a reason why watering is banned between 9am and 6pm - it just isn’t very efficient. Most of the precious water applied at this time will be lost on a hot day before it gets to your plant roots.
Top Tip #6 – Grow longer lawns
Add one cm or two to your lawn length by raising the height of your mower blades. It will keep the soil cooler and reduce moisture stress and water loss.
